Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

NFL Flag Football May Be a Kid's Game, But ESPN Gives It the Pro Treatment

19/07/2024

NFL Flag Football May Be a Kid's Game, But ESPN Gives It the Pro Treatment The league's new kinder, gentler entry features plenty of audio, MindFly camera close-ups By Dan Daley, Audio Editor

Friday, July 19, 2024 - 7:00 am

Print This Story | Subscribe

Story Highlights

In Haribo's football-themed gummi commercial, hulking NFL wide receivers Donald Driver and Marquez Valdes-Scantling wax blissful over the chewy treats in the squeaky voices of little kids in a candy store. This week, ESPN is working on presenting its own version of that theme for the NFL's first outing of its kid-centric NFL Flag Football initiative. Production of the games, scheduled to take place July 19-21 at the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, OH, will put the no-contact sport on a par with an actual NFL game, complete with tons of microphones and up-close video from MindFly AI BodyCams on two game officials.

The network will be broadcasting from Game Creek Video Spirit A and B units (a regular presence on the college-football circuit). It will be a full-production show, airing 18 Flag Football games over three days across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, NFL Network, NFL+, YouTube, Disney Channel, and Disney+. The broadcaster will have a crew of 170 production and operations staffers onsite, with others located in at its Bristol, CT, facility.

Kid Stuff But as full-on as the production aims to be, there is another overriding emphasis.

A1 Steve Yoder: It's about keeping it a kid's game but taking it to a professional broadcast-sports level.

We want to keep it fun, says A1 Steve Yoder, who will alternate game-mixing duties on the first two days with audio guarantee Tad Wymer, who will also be managing the RTS ADAM comms system. It's about keeping it a kid's game but taking it to a professional broadcast-sports level. We're going to have mics on coaches and things like that, so we can get inside the game.

Although the players will not be wired for sound - NFL Flag athletes are girls and boys age 5-17 - the coaches will be miked. Referees will be wearing MindFly AI BodyCams, described as smaller than a credit card and fitted with integrated microphones mounted inside a vest. The camera, battery, and transmitter are protected by D30 Decell padding to prevent injury to the wearer.

In addition, the production will have fixed Audio-Technica AT835 shotguns, movable parabolic microphones with DPA 4061 capsules held by A2s along the sidelines, microphones mounted on handheld RF cams and a Steadicam, and Shure VP88 stereo crowd-capture mics placed at the equivalent of a standard NFL playing field. ( Equivalent because, at 70 yards long and 30 yards wide with two 10-yard end zones, the Flag Football field is about two-thirds the size of a typical 100- x 53.3-yard NFL field). That, says Yoder, will make field-effects sound capture easier.

You're not going to get the sounds that you get from adults on the field, he explains, but the field's so much smaller that we can isolate the sounds a lot better. The smaller the field gets, the more we can pick and choose the sounds and decide what it is we want to hear.

Tricky Sound Capture Microphone choice is important. With no contact crashes taking place on the field and no marching bands to fill out the soundscape, most of the sound will come from the kids themselves as they play. That does change Yoder's frequency strategy a bit.

Because there won't be pad hits, what we're going to do is use the [parabolics] to pick up the kids' voices. We're also going to have to round out the sound a lot more, he explains, noting that the choice of the DPA microphone in the parabs helps add high-end crispness to the overall sound. We won't peak certain [frequencies] like you do to have pad hits and helmet hits. We'll tweak [upper frequencies] a bit more so that you clearly hear the kids screaming to each other and yelling and high-fiving and all that stuff.

Officials Wired for Video and Sound The inaugural NFL Flag Football production, part of the league's pivot to de-emphasize football's physical ferocity, will feature another relatively recent innovation as well. The MindFly BodyCam is an AI-stabilized POV camera with a built-in microphone and was also deployed by ESPN for United Football League (including the UFL Conference Championship), for one NHL Stanley Cup pregame skate, and on the first-base umpire for the College World Series. The system transmits in the 5 GHz or 6 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum, locating two receivers on the field and one at the midfield camera position in the stands.

For Flag Football, the league has authorized two MindFly Referee Cams. The RF chest-mount cams will be worn by a back judge and a side judge, giving viewers the perspective on what officials see and hear in real time.

In addition, the production's 12 total cameras will include Drone Cam, shooting live game action starting on Saturday; the Goodyear Blimp, providing aerial coverage also beginning on Saturday; and an RF handheld covering the sidelines.

MindFly can deliver the feed to the cloud, but ESPN is taking a baseband 1080p/59.94 feed onsite. Two camera feeds are transmitted to the broadcaster's Bristol facility as part of its REMI mux. MindFly is used primarily for replays and bumps, but the production team could take it live at any point.

Setup is good, transmission has been solid, the stabilization is outstanding, [the] pictures are good, and the wearability is pretty much the best, opines ESPN VP, Production Phil Orlins of the MindFly cam, adding that its integration into a vest makes its wearers more approachable, which can translate into engagement on screen. Take 10 minutes to cut the hole in the jersey and put the camera through and forget you're wearing it. I
LINK: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2024/07/19/nfl-flag-football-may-be-a-kids...
See more stories from svg

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

01/05/2026

NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to Integrate Dolby's Full Suite of Premium Picture and Sound Innovations

January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...

01/04/2026

DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION

January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...

17/01/2026

Lightware and Google enhance meeting room flexibility wit...

Lightware, an industry leader in signal management, is helping to elevate the Google Meet experience with the introduction of an integration with Taurus UCX. Th...

17/01/2026

Clear-Com Partners with NETGEAR to Deliver OEM Networking...

Clear-Com announced a strategic partnership with NETGEAR AV to offer four high-performance networking switches as original equipment manufacturer (OEM) solutio...

17/01/2026

QuickLink Expands US Reach With Midwich Distribution

QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, today announced a new U.S. distribution partnership wit...

17/01/2026

NUGEN Audio Launches the Next Evolution of MasterCheck

NUGEN Audio announces the latest evolution of MasterCheck, its industry-trusted optimization plug-in for cross-platform mastering and loudness verification. Des...

17/01/2026

BHV Introduces Pro AV Market to SportsBox at ISE 2026

BHV has announced that it will highlight its new SportsBox remote vision mixer and picture processor at ISE in Booth #4H900 marking its official introduction in...

17/01/2026

Clear-Com Reveals New 4-Channel HelixNet Beltpack and Adv...

Clear-Com will return to ISE 2026 to demonstrate its latest intercom solutions for broadcast, live production, and AV professionals. Exhibiting at Stand #4P700...

17/01/2026

Grass Valley Brings Scalable Creative Freedom to Broadcas...

Grass Valley, a leading provider in live production solutions, will exhibit at ISE 2026 in Barcelona from February 3 6, presenting its vision for how modern Bro...

17/01/2026

Utelogy Advances AI and Cloud-First Innovation at ISE 202...

Utelogy Corporation, the global leader in connected workplace management, monitoring, control, automation and analytics closes out a record-breaking 2025. The c...

17/01/2026

FOR-A Europe to Demonstrate Broadcast and Pro-AV Converge...

FOR-A, a cutting-edge video broadcast technology company backed by more than 50 years experience, will showcase its innovative production solutions at ISE 2026 ...

17/01/2026

Tim Jackson Appointed Sr Director of Sales and Business D...

Techex, the UK-based expert in live video solutions over IP and cloud, today announced that Tim Jackson has joined the company as Senior Director of Sales and B...

17/01/2026

Redflag AI Joins Akamais New ISV Catalyst Program as the...

Redflag AI, an AI-powered content protection platform, and Akamai, the cybersecurity and cloud computing company that powers and protects business online, today...

17/01/2026

Encompass Digital Media Strengthens Global Operations wit...

Encompass Digital Media has today announced the appointment of David Hunter as Chief Operating Officer (COO). As a highly respected technology and operations le...

17/01/2026

Glensound highlights quality practicality and innovation...

Glensound is set to showcase its audio and intercom solutions supporting broadcast, live events and professional AV environments at ISE 2026 (stand 7H800, Fira ...

17/01/2026

Matrox Video Showcases New AV-over-IP Capabilities Drivin...

As Matrox Video marks its 50th year of innovation, the company will use ISE 2026 to showcase the latest advancements across its AV-over-IP ecosystem, highlighti...

17/01/2026

Hollywood Professional Association Unveils 2026 HPA Award...

The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) today announced the nominees for the 2026 HPA Awards Innovation & Technology, marking an expanded evolution of the ...

17/01/2026

Sinclair Asks FCC to Approve Nexstar/Tegna Deal

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

16/01/2026

From Berlin to London: Amazon Prime Video Delivers NBA Europe Games to Global Audience

From Berlin to London: Amazon delivers NBA Europe games for an international aud...

16/01/2026

How Vizrt, TriCaster Helped Harvard Athletics Embrace Vertical Video and More to Serve Fans

How Vizrt, TriCaster Helped Harvard Athletics Embrace Vertical Video and More to...

16/01/2026

SVG GameDay, Ep. 1: PMY Group's Mike Bonner

SVG GameDay, Ep. 1: PMY Group's Mike BonnerThe longtime industry veteran provides insight into his approach to producing live eventsBy Kristian Hern ndez, S...

16/01/2026

Attacking the Pin: Inside the PGA TOUR's Replay Remodel With Hawk-Eye Innovations

Attacking the Pin: Inside the PGA TOUR's Replay Remodel With Hawk-Eye Innova...

16/01/2026

Back to Unrivaled: TNT Sports Reconnects With Mediapro for the League's Sophomore Season

Back to Unrivaled: TNT Sports Reconnects With Mediapro for the League's Soph...

16/01/2026

FloSports Orchestrates Mega Weekend Spotlighted by Chili Bowl Nationals, UCA & UDA College Nationals

FloSports Orchestrates Mega Weekend Spotlighted by Chili Bowl Nationals, UCA & U...

16/01/2026

Sundance Institute Names 2026 Screenwriters Lab and Screenwriters Intensive Fellows

Eleven Projects to Be Developed at Annual January Screenwriters Lab; Nine Projec...

16/01/2026

5 Audiobooks to Help You Level Up in 2026

The start of a new year brings fresh possibilities. Whether you're diving in with big goals or simply setting new intentions, audiobooks can bring inspirati...

16/01/2026

1 Year In: How Creators Are Growing Their Shows and Connecting With Audiences Through the Spotify Partner Program

In 2025 we launched the Spotify Partner Program to give creators more ways to tu...

16/01/2026

NAB Spokesman Alex Siciliano to Depart

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

16/01/2026

Marshall Electronics Showcases the VMV 402 3GSH Seamless...

Marshall Electronics is showcasing its VMV-402-3GSH Seamless 4X Switch at ISE 2026 (Booth 4N900). Designed for presentation systems, control rooms and remote pr...

16/01/2026

HPA Announces Innovation & Technology Award Nominees

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

16/01/2026

Graduate Spotlight: Nadia Castagna

Graduate Spotlight: Nadia Castagna The educator, who grew up in Rochester, New York, shares how she went from Berklee to collaborating on meaningful programs ...

16/01/2026

Culinary Class Wars' Returns for Season 3, Raising the Stakes With a Team-Based Showdown

Back to All News Culinary Class Wars' Returns for Season 3, Raising the St...

15/01/2026

Milano Cortina 2026: OBS CEO Yiannis Exarchos Previews Production Innovations

Milano Cortina 2026: OBS CEO Yiannis Exarchos Previews Production InnovationsFirst Person View drones, AI-based tech target greater fan engagement, efficiencyBy...

15/01/2026

Clever With Cameras: Bringing the Drama of the 2026 ISU European Figure Skating Championships to Viewers with Sunset+Vine

Clever with cameras: Bringing the drama of the 2026 ISU European Figure Skating ...

15/01/2026

No Stranger to Ice: Host Broadcaster Sunset+Vine on Pressure and Planning for the 2026 ISU European Figure Skating Championships

No stranger to ice: Host broadcaster Sunset Vine on pressure and planning for th...

15/01/2026

SVG Campus Shot Callers: Leah Gill, Associate Athletic Director, Digital Media, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

SVG Campus Shot Callers: Leah Gill, Associate Athletic Director, Digital Media, ...

15/01/2026

National Sports Broadcaster Perspectives: What to Expect in Production in 2026

National Sports Broadcaster Perspectives: What to Expect in Production in 2026Leaders from ESPN, FOX Sports, Netflix, and Warner Bros. Discovery share their pro...

15/01/2026

From Berlin to London: Amazon Delivers NBA Europe Games for an International Audience

From Berlin to London: Amazon delivers NBA Europe games for an international aud...

15/01/2026

Sundance Institute Appoints David Linde as CEO

LOS ANGELES, CA, January 15, 2026 - The nonprofit Sundance Institute today announced the appointment of David Linde as Chief Executive Officer. Linde will assum...

15/01/2026

Excellent training at SGL Carbons Bonn site

The SGL Carbon site in Bonn has a long tradition of training. For many years, young talent has been successfully trained here, regularly achieving excellent exa...

15/01/2026

SGL Carbon and BMW Group receive JEC Innovation Award for Natural Fiber Composites Project

The JEC Composites Innovation Awards annually honor the most innovative and ambi...

15/01/2026

SGL Carbon signs long-term supply agreement with X-energy

X-energy Reactor Company, LLC ( X-energy ) and SGL Carbon LLC ( SGL ) have signed a 10-year framework agreement to provide graphite for the deployment of X-ener...

15/01/2026

Versant Completes Acquisition Of Free TV Networks

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

15/01/2026

House Oversight Hearing on FCC Puts Chair in Spotlight

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

15/01/2026

Radiant Media Player, Cloud DRM Partner on Integration

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

15/01/2026

Telycam to Showcase New Mix One Video Switcher at ISE 2026

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

15/01/2026

Pliant Names Adam Grede as Regional Sales Manager

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

15/01/2026

NFL Wild Card Games Score With Viewers

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...